


You Don't Scare Me

by Rin_Salamander



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: F/M, Giving this poor boy some well deserved love, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-20
Updated: 2018-12-20
Packaged: 2019-09-23 11:00:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 803
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17079077
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rin_Salamander/pseuds/Rin_Salamander
Summary: Scarlet (the MC in this fic) strayed too far from Muriel's hut one night, and got attacked by Lucio's ghost. Thankfully, Muriel got to her in time, though was injured protecting her. He blames himself for Scarlet almost getting injured, and shuts her out again.





	You Don't Scare Me

Scarlet had found herself back in Muriel’s hut yet again, after another attack from Lucio’s ghost. Once they were both in the safety of his home, he let out a soft sigh, clutching at the new wound on the left side of his chest. “Here- let me-” Scarlet was cut off by a slight grunt let put by Muriel. 

 

“I can handle myself.” He said, trudging over to the bucket of water he kept to wash himself with. 

 

It took Scarlet aback for a moment. Muriel had finally began letting her in more- why was he acting distant again all of a sudden?

 

She considered her next actions carefully. She took a few steps towards Muriel- who was now sat on the edge of his bed, dabbing his new wound with a wet rag. Once she was within touching distance, she gently extended a hand, touching Muriel’s shoulder carefully. She felt him tense under her fingers, all movement halting with the contact. Scarlet let out a pained breath, her resolve almost crumbling. 

 

“Why are you shutting me out?” She asked in a broken whisper. 

 

Moments passed without an answer.

 

“...You almost died today.” He finally spoke. His voice was pained, and full of sorrow. “If I hadn’t found you in time…” Muriel shook his head, as if to reject those thoughts from his mind. “...I put you in danger. Being near me, put you in danger.”

 

Scarlet was still for a moment, before slowly moving herself in front of him, cautiously leaning close. “You didn’t put me in danger.” She whispered. “You can’t blame yourself. I should have stayed near the hut, but I didn’t. You can’t blame yourself for that.” Scarlet slowly brought her hands up to Muriel’s face, running her thumbs over his scarred cheeks. “You protected me.” She reassured.

 

Muriel sighed, shutting his eyes. He knew she was right- but it was hard not to blame himself.

 

Scarlet gently moved herself into Muriel’s lap. She wrapped her arms around him, burying her face into his neck. He didn’t push away. Muriel wasn’t used to the contact, but he couldn’t fool himself- he enjoyed it. He slowly brought his free hand up to Scarlet’s upper back, patting it gently. Scarlet pulled her face back, tears welled up in her eyes. She brought her hand back to Muriel’s face, stroking his cheek again. They locked eyes for a long moment, before Scarlet slowly moved.

 

Scarlet pressed a gently kiss to the scar just above his right eyebrow. Then, moved to do the same action against the scar on his left cheek. 

 

Muriel was taken aback- he’d never been shown this kind of affection before. His face flushed red, and he shifted his weight slightly. “Wh… What are you doing?” He choked out.

 

Scarlet didn’t respond right away, instead gently stroking her fingers down the scarred flesh on his cheek.

 

“You said you didn’t like these when I first ended up here.” She said. “Man, that feels like such a long time ago... But, you didn’t like them, because they scare people.” Scarlet met Muriel’s gaze again. “But to me, they just prove that you’re strong, and have overcome many painful obstacles. And that isn’t frightening.” Scarlet glanced away, but then back at him again. “And you’re such a kind person… You could never scare me. Even if I didn’t…” She stopped herself. She didn’t know if he’d shut her out if she said what she felt. “Even if I didn’t… Really, really like you.” She couldn’t do it. She was too afraid of what he’d do.

 

Muriel’s face was getting more flushed by the second. He didn’t know how to react to what he was being told. Part of him wanted to shrink away, but another wanted to tell her he really liked her too.

 

Scarlet suddenly backed away, taking the damp rag from Muriel’s hand before kneeling in front of him, tending to his wound. She was gentle, as always, wiping away the blood that was drying on his skin. Muriel sat rigid, still reeling from what she had said before.

 

As Scarlet finished up tending to Muriel's wound, she stood again, rinsing the rag and her hands of the blood. She turned to Muriel again, smiling at him softly. “You should rest now. Lay down.” 

 

Muriel did as she asked, laying himself down on his back. Scarlet pulled the large fur blankets over Muriel’s body, looking down at him affectionately. She leaned down, pressing a gently kiss against Muriel’s forehead. “I meant what I said earlier. All of it.” Muriel nodded slightly, and Scarlet stood straight up, making her way to where Inanna was laying, to sit next to her. “Get some sleep, Muriel.” She whispered.

 

A long moment of silence, before Muriel interrupted it.

 

“... I really like you, too.”

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this at 4AM, so I'm sorry if it's realitively disjointed and messy. I just wanted to get this out of my system. This would canonically take place a couple months after Muriel's route began. I may add another chapter later if I feel like it.


End file.
